Construction planning of new hospital on schedule

Friday, 21 October 2011

The planning for the construction of the new hospital is on schedule. Theo Janssen of Usona, the implementation organization entrusted with the construction, stated this yesterday during the press conference of the Council of Ministers. The first brick will be laid next year and the hospital should be operational in 2015.

The interim program of requirements is ready and was recently approved by the Council of Ministers. As from October 28th, companies from North and South America and Europe can submit a tender. The closing date is December 1st, when a selection will be made of the best candidates. The five best candidates will be announced in January. The companies are to comply with strict conditions, among others, working together with a local party. The new hospital will be built based on a design, build & maintain contract and regards a total surface of 36,429 square meters.

The hospital will be a general basic hospital with a few top-clinical functions, which are also upper regional. The hospital is to provide a well accessible basic health care to inhabitants and visitors of Curaçao. The health care service corresponds with that of the current St. Elisabeth Hospital (Sehos). The hospital will also have an integral maternity clinic, family doctor practice and a full-time intensive care for premature births.

The interim program of requirements also renders the interior and exterior architectonic standards. For instance, the interior must be practical and functional . Daylight is important. The building will also have many plants. Furthermore, the interior is to be in keeping with the atmosphere on Curaçao.

“The exterior will not become a landmark such as the opera of Sydney,’ says Jansen. “ That building had cost a fortune to build not to speak of the maintenance.” The new hospital will have embellishments that fit with the island.

The government explicitly mentioned greenery. The so-called Trias Energetica scheme is to keep the hospital climate resistant – with the lowest possible energy consumption – using wind and solar energy. According to Janssen, all rooms will have air-conditioning. The new hospital will have 300 beds, which is the required capacity in 2015. “We are considering only rooms of one and four beds,” says Janssen. Flexibility is an important requirement for the hospital.”

Usona only gave a brief update of the technical realization yesterday. There are parallel courses for the interpretation of the health care offer and the financial feasibility. A financial reconstruction fund will be set up for the insolvent Sehos. Minister Jacinta Constancia of Public Health (MKF) announced yesterday that new staff would be recruited for the Sehos. This involves a scholarship debt scheme from the government. Professionals in the Health Service choosing for Sehos will receive a partial cancellation of their scholarship debt.

“The government will then pay 40 to 50 percent of their scholarship debt,” says Constancia. The Council of Ministers also approved the appointment of 31 doctor’s assistants for the Sehos.

Furthermore, the Minister is finalizing the protocols with the other clinics on the island – the Advent Hospital and the Taams Clinic. These clinics will become satellite locations of the new hospital. This procedure should be completed in December as well.
 

Source: Amigoe.com